First Fleet Park

Statement of Significance

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Description

Assessed significance: Local

Item type: Landscape

Current use: Park

Former use: Site of Hospital/Kings/Queens Wharf, shop/houses, Commissariat Stores and first Post Office

Group: Landscape - Cultural

Category: Historic Landscape

Designer/Maker:

Builder/Maker:

Construction Years: 1788 - 0

Physical Description: First Fleet Park is located with the MCA to the north, George Street to the west, the Circular Quay West promenade to the east and the Cahill Expressway to the south. It has a circular planting of palm trees facing the southern doorway of the MCA, a set of sandstone steps leading up to George Street, and is an open grassed area with plantings around its boundaries.

Property Description

Address

Historic Notes and Themes

Historical notes: Early maps and views of Sydney Cove indicate that the original shoreline was a small beach or mudflats, at least at low tide, with one or two small rocky areas. Another small beach is depicted in front of where Cadman's Cottage now stands. Much of First Fleet Park is built upon land reclaimed as part of the building of Circular Quay. A view of 1792 indicates that there was a wharf constructed in the area possibly the hospital wharf. In 1809, Isaac Nichols built a large, two storey stone house on the site of First Fleet Park, facing onto George Street North. Nichols was an assistant to the Naval Officer, and was later appointed postmaster, running Australia's first post office from his house. Nichols' house was nestled between a residence built for merchant Mary Reiby in 1813 and the Commissariat Store, separated from the later by a pathway running between George Street and Queens Wharf. By the 1850s, Nichols' house was converted to a pub, named the Australian Hotel. In 1889, both Nichols' and Reiby's houses were demolished. During the late 1930s, the Maritime Services Board resumed the land. In 1809 the building of the Commissariat, designed by Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Foveaux, began at the southern end of this block. It appears that the eastern face of the Commissariat's wings were on the shoreline. The Naval dockyard continued to exist north of the Commissariat into the 1850s. Extensive reclamation work for Circular Quay was done between 1837 and 1844 under the guidance of the Colonial Engineer, Colonel George Barney. All the photographs from the 1870s up to the 1930s show the existence of a road in front of the Commissariat and a timber wharf with large ships docked alongside. (After Casey 1991: 3-5) To the south of the Commissariat and Ordinance Stores, on the original eastern alignment of George Street, a row of shops and houses, including the first Post Office (1809), were built in the early 1800s and were in place by 1810. In 1882, these buildings were demolished and the former Queens Wharf area enlarged. After completion of the Maritime Services Building (now the Museum of Contemporary Art) in 1952, the site of the former Queen's Wharf was landscaped with stone stairs from George Street, paths and a circular planting of palm trees which still survive today. The shoreline was further reclaimed to the current alignment in the 1950s/60s. A 1962 map shows the esplanade beside Circular Quay West under construction, works probably undertaken as part of the work for the new Overseas Passenger Terminal, which opened in 1959. (Johnson 2000) Work on First Fleet Park as it exists today was commenced in 1985 and completed in 1986, an attempt to return the site, in some measure, to its former glory, and to recognise the significance of the place in the colonisation of Australia. Previously, there was a bitumen road , following the alignment of Pitt Street, heading toward the Passenger Terminal and gardens to the east. These gardens were sitting in soil above the previous wharf. The wharf, the gardens and the road were removed during the refurbishment of this area. The existing brick paving is sitting out in the water, on a pre-cast concrete skirting sitting on piers. As part of the work, the ground level of the park was raised by approx. 1 m. (Casey 1991: 15-17, 26) First Fleet Park was redeveloped in 1988, with the closure and subsequent paving of Circular Quay West Road between Argyle and Alfred Streets. The closure of the roadway, which ran along the foreshore, led to the creation of 'an enlarged landscaped area with direct water frontage .. ' adjacent to The Rocks, as well as '.. a grand pedestrian promenade around Sydney Cove with links to the Opera House and Dawes Point' . [Archaeological History - Former town allotments. Leases to Thomas Jamieson (See also: AR130) and Isaac Nichols (See also: AR130) by 1807.] First Fleet Park is located on the western shore of Circular Quay near where the First Fleet landed in 1788. The earliest plans of Sydney show no permanent occupation of this area. It would have been used for temporary accommodation and the unloading of ship's cargo. Wharfage facilities, directly south of the site, appear to be a constant on all early plans. In 1991, archaeological monitoring was carried out as part of work for the refurbishment of the Museum, and further investigations were carried out in 1997. These have provided substantial evidence for the survival of rare intact remains and deposits in the area. It is probable that the area contains evidence relating to the Quay West area, from early use through reclamation for provision of wharves and of retail and commercial buildings on the site before the establishment of parkland. (Godden Mackay 1998:41 & 46)

Historical significance: First Fleet Park has strong historical association with the first European settlement in Australia and the subsequent development of the colony. Prior to this the occupation and use of the Tank Stream Valley and 'Warrang' by the Aboriginal inhabitants of the area represent the first phase of human occupation of the site. Archaeological remains from the period have the potential to provide information relating to the social, economic. And ideological aspects of the first human presence here. This is also an early contact site between the original Aboriginal inhabitants and the newly arrived Europeans, and as such has historical significance. The occupation of the area during the first decades of the European settlement at Sydney Cove represented the primary phase in the early life and development of the colony and the City of Sydney itself. Features directly related to this period, particularly evidence of material culture or buildings may be revealed by archaeological investigation and are likely to provide information that is not available from other sources. The site forms part of the land that was first alienated by the Crown. The subject site remains in public ownership, the control of the use and development of this land through a range of agencies has continued since 1788.

Historical association: First Fleet Park has strong historical association with the first European settlement in Australia, thus with the members of the first fleet. It also has associations with notable historic figures such as Foureaux, who built the first commissariat store and Mary Reiby, who owned part of the site. It has associations with planners, such as Governor Macquarie and engineers such as Col Barney.

Aesthetic significance: It has important landmark qualities providing an open setting for the majority of the visitors to The Rocks who approach by foot from Circular Quay, allowing views across to the picturesque buildings of The Rocks and to the Museum of Contemporary Art, and across the waters of Sydney Cove to the Sydney Opera House.

Social significance: First Fleet Park has strong social value as an area of recreation and relaxation for the people of Sydney and visitors to the area. It is part of the 'gateway' to Sydney and is valued by locals and visitors alike. It has social significance to the people of Australia as the site of first European settlement, and to Aboriginal people as the site where their lifestyle would begin to change dramatically.

Research significance: There was an archaeological monitoring program carried out on the site in 1991 with four areas excavated. The results of these test trenches revealed that there are archaeological remains extant on the site that date to the very earliest days of the settlement. There is archaeological evidence of building constructed before the Commissariat store of 1809. Therefore the site has significant research potential. Owing to the scarcity of surviving archaeological sites within the city, and having particular regard to the richness of the historical record and substantial deposits believed to exist, the archaeological record associated with the site has the potential to reveal information about late 18th and early 19th century Sydney, thereby providing an insight into aspects of Sydney's ideological and socio-economic history. Whilst the site is well documented in cartographic and pictorial sources, information regarding the original topography, physical operation of the early docks and associated structures, the First Post Office and other early buildings is available only from investigation of the physical remains themselves. There is an opportunity for this significant part of the city to reveal its past through the material remains that accumulated through a variety of activities associated with the occupation of the site by both Aboriginal and European peoples.

Rare assessment:

Representative assessment:

Intact assessment: Partly disturbed, however there is a substantial and extremely significant archaeological resource remaining.

Physical condition: Archaeological Assessment Condition: Partly disturbed. Assessment Basis: Park lower level than George Street, but on or above level of Circular Quay West. Part of the George Street frontage is bounded by a modern sandstone wall and stairs, the remainder is a graded slope up to the street level. However there are substantial archaeological remains of the original wharves, shipyard and Commissariat store remaining. Much of this land is reclaimed allowing a significant archaeological resource to be remaining.

Listings

References

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Mary Casey	1991	Museum of Contemporary Art and First Fleet Park - Archaeological Monitoring
Written	Higginbotham, Kass & Walker	1991	The Rocks and Millers Point Archaeological Management Plan
Management Plan	Godden Mackay Logan	2010	First Fleet Park The Rocks Conservation Management Strategy Final Report
Oral History	Wayne Johnson (SHFA)	2000	Verbal Information
Written	Godden Mackay Heritage Consultants	1998	Sydney Cove Waterfront Strategy - Archaeological Assessment Final Report
Written	Casey and Lowe Associates	1997	Heritage Assessment and Results of Testing - Museum of Contemporary Art Stage II
Written		1962	Plan at George Street and Circular Quay West No HP 312

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